Chapter 10 

THE FARMER’S DAUGHTER MOVES TO TOWN 

Don’t try to hoodwink her today.   She knows more about Broadway than the traveling salesman does.   Hokum is gone with the wind.   People are fountain -- pen shy and sales -- talk conscious.

M R. CHARLES LESSER, president of Bost Toothpaste Company, invited our Institute to study what should be said and done to sell this toothpaste in drugstores.   After making a survey in a series of drugstores, we arrived at a method tested to sell a product at the cigar counters of the drugstores.

Again the how about it -- salesman was discarded, and the modern question -- mark salesman was substituted. After a customer purchased some tobacco, the clerk would say:

“Have you ever used the smoker's toothpaste?”

It was natural for the customer to say that he was not familiar with such a paste, and with this opportunity, with complete attention secured, the clerk would hold up a tube of Bost Toothpaste and say:

“It is made ESPECIALLY for people who smoke.”

Here was a unique sort of toothpaste.   The benefit was obvious.   If the customer demanded proof, the salesman would blow cigarette smoke through his handkerchief, and rub away the stain with a little of the paste.   Wheelerpoint 3, “say it with flowers.”

Results: the Standard Drugstores of Ohio sold a three-month supply of toothpaste in one week, according to one record in our file on this “Tested Selling Sentence.” 

THE BARN HAS A DOUBLE LOCK 

A few years ago J. C. Penney Company, operating 1400 stores nationally, felt that if their sales people would say the right thing at the right time, they would sell better quality merchandise and more of it to every customer.

I was given the assignment by Mr. W. A. Reynolds, vice president, of developing a word laboratory for these great stores, to analyze the selling features and owner benefits of each piece of merchandise.   In particular, I recall an incident that increased the sales of a high-quality pair of bloomers.   When women asked for “something in bloomers,” the clerks would show two types at two different prices, and say of the better one, “it has double lock seams that won't split!”   Most Penney stores are in small towns, and sell to women who know something about the value of two locks on a barn door, and when they were told the seams had double locks, those two words told them more than a thousand fancy words.

Picking the right words makes people respond and cash registers dance in musical glee! 

SELLING PIE A LA MODE 

It is the desire of every restaurant owner to sell his pie with a scoop of ice cream on top, for the pie tastes better, the eater is happier, and the restaurant has increased the average check by ten cents.

“Like a dab of ice cream?” will never induce people, for they carry that depression “no” on their tongues, and will say “no” first and think afterwards.

We were given this assignment by The Schulte -- United stores for their restaurants.   There were thirty-six possible methods of asking a customer if he would care for some ice cream on his pie.

Finally we reverted to the old principal and had the waitresses ask, “would you care for an order of vanilla or chocolate ice cream on your pie?”   The mind of the customer would fluctuate between vanilla and chocolate, not between ice cream and no ice cream.   Whichever he decided upon meant a happier customer -- and a richer restaurant proprietor.

“Which” is a stronger word than “if.”   It is better to use a question mark to “hook” your proposition securely onto a prospect than an exclamation point to “club” him into responding.

The hook is more potent than the crowbar!

 THE EXCLAMATION SALESMAN IS GONE

Back in the days when the farmers daughter lived on the farm, it was the custom to bewilder the prospect with a flow of “big-time talk” punctuated with exclamation marks.   With one hand hooked in his vest, and his derby tilted back on his head, the drummer would dazzle the farmer's daughter with stories of the Gay White Way.

But the farmer's daughter has moved to town, mentally. There is no mystery anymore about the big city. She sees movies of the White Way.   She reads magazines.   She has a car that takes her to town. She knows more about New York and Hollywood than the traveling salesman does today.

So don't try the old hokum! People today are sales -- minded. They are fountain -- pen shy. They are conscious of selling tactics today, and they demand proof (B). They don't want to be sold; they want to buy. 

WHEN YOU ARE “LOST FOR WORDS” 

It is especially effective, I have found, to ask questions that make misstatements about something on which the other person is an expert.   He immediately jumps up to correct you.

There are times, in this day and age when the farmer's daughter knows more about Fifth Avenue styles than many people living in the Bronx, when she becomes conscious that you are asking her questions to get her talking. To avoid this feeling on the part of the other fellow, make a misstatement sometime about golf, fishing, or some trade or hobby in which he prides himself on being an authority.   Watch how quickly he sits up and takes notice. Watch him begin “to set you right.” It is a good “Tested Technique.” Try it sometime and test it out yourself. 

THE STORY OF BUTTER 

I. W. and George Bickley run Philadelphia's largest butter and egg house.   On hearing our address before the Philadelphia Rotary and Poor Richard Club, they invited me to make a study of how to build a modern sales presentation on butter and eggs.

Several talks were developed, and one for use on restaurant owners was as follows:

Mr. Jones, did you know that Bickley butter spreads MORE SLICES of bread per pound than most other brands?

The restaurant owner was interested, of course, in learning how to reduce his butter costs, but being skeptical, would smile at the salesman and tell him it was impossible.

The salesman then said, have you ever spread butter on a slice of bread and had it stick in one corner, or spread thin and spotty over the bread?

This is an experience of all of us, and so the restaurant and was forced to say he had often noticed this in his restaurant and that it was the reason why guests use so many pats of butter.   When he demanded proof that Bickley butter would not stick in spots, it was given to him in a swift “Tested Selling” manner. 

THE “YOUR OPINION” APPROACH 

Another interesting question -- mark approach devised for this butter and egg house is the your opinion approach.   With the assistance of M. A. McCarron, sales manager, this approach was devised:

I'm from the Bickley Company.   I have been sent to get YOUR OPINION on how we can help grocers increase their butter and egg business!

How much better this approach is than the usual, “Need any eggs today?”   Or “How ya fixed for butter, Mr. Jones?”

Ask people for their opinions.   It is good philosophy; both of you will get along better and learn a lot more.   Try it on your next customer -- or the next friend you meet.

Another good rule to remember is:

When you are “lost for words”-- ask questions!   But, make sure the questions are not obvious, for the farmer's daughter has moved to town.

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